He Came Back
by calmingmelody4444
Summary: Sokka goes to the Fire Nation to help Zuko and Aang stop the all rebellions brewing in the area. Toph is unwilling to let him leave, but she has no choice. All she can do now is wait for him to go back. But will he?


**Author's Note:** Hi guys! I finally wrote another one-shot after and it's a tragedy. Sorry about that! It just popped in my head and I decided to go with it. I apologize in advance about the quality or any sad emotion it invokes (if any). I did watch Legend of Korra (it was awesome!) and I did not follow the original pairing because I adore Tokka! If you have any suggestions, ideas for a new story, or anything at all, please feel free to message me or comment. Thank you! :)

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><p>In the darkness of the night, she waits on her front porch amidst the crisp, cool air of the night. The darkness does not bother her; she's been living in it her whole life. A faint sound, like tiny pitter-patter of footsteps is heard beside her. It's her daughter. Her only pride and joy. She cannot see her, but she knows she's there. She can feel it in the ground. After all, she's Toph Beifong.<p>

Toph sits by her porch waiting for her husband, Sokka.

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><p><span><em>Six months earlier.<em>

"_Hey chief! Hey Linny!" said Sokka with so much enthusiasm that can fill a room._

"_Hey there meathead! Can you grab Lin for a second? She sure is getting heavy" chuckles Toph._

"_Well, she is over a year old. Hey Toph, can we talk for a second?" he asks._

"_What are we doing now?" Toph jests._

"_Touché. But really, we do need to talk. I need to ask your permission for something?" Sokka says with all the serious intentions he could muster._

"_You're asking for my permission now? You've gone soft dear," she continues the joke._

"_It's not manly, I know. Ok, here we go. Aang and Zuko need help dispelling the rebellious people gathering around the Zuko's palace and threatening to claim his life!" Sokka blurts out._

"_So you're telling me that you want to head over to the Fire Nation and leave your less infant daughter for who-knows-how-long to risk your butt?" she demands. _

"_When you put it that way it doesn't sound right," he says as he strokes his beard._

"_Sokka I know that they're our friends and it would be selfish of me to stop you from going. However, you, Aang, and Zuko against a mass of unknown enemies?" she asked. _

"_We won't be alone. We have the Kyoshi warriors, Zuko's other royal guards, and some help from the water tribes to help us," Sokka said. _

"_I'm coming with you," she says indignantly._

"_No, Toph please. You have to stay here with Lin," he replies._

_If there is anything in the world Toph hated the most, it's telling her what she can and cannot do. She spent most of her childhood suffocated by her parents' control. _

"_I know you hate me telling you this, but I don't want you to get hurt. Before you hurt me, let me tell you this: I promise that I will come back before Lin's second birthday in perfect condition!" he adds. _

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><p><span><em>Present day<em>

That's the end of that. No buts or ifs or anything. When Sokka wants to do something, he'll do it. However, that did not stop Toph from giving him a mighty blow to the shoulder before he left "as a reminder of the hell he's going to experience when he goes back home."

He did send letters whenever he could and a servant would read it to Toph. He even sent some mementos for Lin. Except, his last letter was two months ago. Since then, Toph waits each night by the porch just to see if she can hear his clumsy footsteps coming towards the gate; but each night there were none. It has been a common sight for passersby to see a middle-aged woman whose porcelain-coloured skin shines underneath the moonlight sip tea and pace back and forth and a little infant whose babbles ad cries can be heard miles away. Her servants are worried about the possibility of her sinking into depression. Of course no one would say anything about that to her unless they want to lose any of their teeth.

At night, she asks herself whether she made the right choice of letting Sokka go to that Fire Nation Peace whatever-you-call-it event. After all, didn't they save the world not too long ago? Plus, he has a daughter to look after! If her pride will let her admit, she needs him too. Is that too selfish to ask? Maybe it is. Perhaps she thought about all the hard work they've put in just to liberate the world from the Hundred Years' War crumbling apart and that's why she let him go even though she was fighting back her tears. He did say he will come back. He does not break promises. If he does, she'll break him.

She reflects upon the days where she spends most of her time composing letters (by means of dictation) to all her friends like Aang, King Bumi, or anyone she knows to ask about Sokka. Except, no one seems to know much about him; which is werid because they were supposed to be working together. Hope is running out.

The wind suddenly rushes in with vigour as Toph heads inside with Lin. She then hears a familiar voice call her name. It is that husky voice that she fell in love with. He came back! She is so happy that she actually cried. Lin sits on the floor staring at her mother's hysteria and begins to giggle.

"I'm back. I promised I'll come back. So here I am!" Sokka says.

"What took you so long dummy?" she asks and her cheeks are still red from the excitement.

"Rebels fought harder than expected, blah blah, you know that sort of thing," he grumbles.

"How come Aang does not know where you were?" Toph asks.

"I snuck out of Zuko's palace to help with an ambush attack against the rebels. I didn't tell anyone so they won't get worried," he brags.

"Well, at least you're back… It took you long enough! We should head back inside or Lin could get sick," she says as goes to pick up Lin from the floor.

"Yeah, you're right. I'll give her the present later then," he says.

She carries Lin and they head back inside. Toph hears no footsteps other than hers.

"Snoozles where are you?"

No one answers.

One of her servant rushes up to her while holding a letter from. It is from the Fire Nation. A confused Toph sits down on a nearby chair and puts Lin on her lap. Tears begin to flow down her cheeks as she clasps her daughter into a tight hug.

A tear-stained letter falls on the floor.


End file.
